LS Swap Oil Pan Guide: 302-1 vs 302-2 vs 302-3, Which Fits Your Chassis

Below: why the factory LS pan rarely fits an older chassis, a side-by-side spec table, which pan suits which car, the parts that are not in the box, and the full torque chart.

1. Why the Factory LS Oil Pan Usually Won't Fit

Every factory LS pan was shaped around the crossmember and steering of the vehicle it came in. Drop that engine into a 1960s or 1970s GM chassis and the pan ends up where the old crossmember, center link or front differential already lives.

• Truck pans hang deep. They are a common reason a swap sits too low or hits the crossmember in older cars.
• Car pans (F-body, GTO, Corvette) put the sump and the deep sections where they worked in those cars, not where a classic subframe leaves room.
• "Front sump vs rear sump" is only half the question. Fit depends on sump depth, how much room the front section leaves for the steering linkage, and where your mounts put the engine.

A swap pan solves this with a rear sump, a shallow front section and its own pickup tube. Because the pan is a structural part that bolts to the bellhousing, it needs to be a cast pan made for the job, not a stamped universal pan.

2. 302-1 vs 302-2 vs 302-3: Specs Side by Side

All three are cast-aluminum, rear-sump, wet-sump pans for Gen III/IV LS engines from 4.8L to 6.2L. They keep the factory-style filter mount and bellhousing bolts. The differences are depth, front clearance, sump length and stroke limit.

The trade-off is simple: the 302-2 and 302-3 are 1.17" shallower at the front to clear the steering linkage, but the floor of their sump starts about 2.2" farther forward. Check that the front of the sump clears the back of your crossmember. Our 302-series pans are cast and machined in our own factory and inspected before packing. Not sure which one your build needs? Send us your chassis and mount kit before you order.

3. Which LS Swap Oil Pan Fits Your Chassis

Stock-stroke street build

A 4.8L, 5.3L, 5.7L, 6.0L or 6.2L with a factory crank has a 3.62" stroke or shorter (3.27" on the 4.8L), so any of the three pans works on stroke. Pick by chassis.

Stroker engine

Over 3.62" rules out the 302-2. Use the 302-3 up to 4.00", or the 302-1 up to 4.25" if your chassis has the room.

Turbo build

The 302-3 has two 1/2" NPT bosses for turbo oil drain-back. In some chassis the frame has to be notched to reach those ports, so plan the drain lines during mock-up.

Late-model LS car or a roomy chassis

Our 19212593-style rear-sump pan kit comes with the dipstick and tube, windage tray, pickup and hardware in one box. It sits deeper than the 302 series, so email us your vehicle before ordering it for an older chassis.

4. Parts You Still Need Before Install Day

Every 302 kit includes the pan, oil pan gasket, sump baffle, pan-specific pickup tube with O-ring, drain plug, oil filter stud, oil passage cover and mounting screws. Plan for these as well:

• Windage tray: a GM full-length tray for the 302-1; the GM F-body tray (12558253), cut for pickup clearance, for the 302-2 and 302-3.
• Dipstick and tube: the pans have no dipstick port. Use the GM LS3 dipstick (12669528) and tube (12625031), which go into the block on the passenger side.
• RTV sealer: the pan gasket is in the box; you only need a quality RTV for the front and rear cover joints.
• Oil filter: PF48-style (ACDelco PF48 / PF48E or equivalent).
• Swap engine mounts: they set engine height and fore/aft position, which decides whether any pan clears.

Do not reuse the factory pickup tube. Each pan's pickup is built to sit the right distance from the pan floor.

5. Installation Steps and Torque Specs

1. Mock up first. Set the engine on your swap mounts with the pan bolted on and check for contact with the crossmember, steering linkage and, on 4WD, the front differential. Fix any clearance now; on some cars the pan cannot come off with the engine installed.
2. Check the dipstick hole. Some LS blocks have a plug in the dipstick hole on the passenger side below cylinder #6. Remove it and test-fit the tube while the pan is off.
3. Install the pickup. Oil the O-ring and push the tube fully into the pump by hand before tightening. Do not let the bolt pull it in.
4. Fit the windage tray. Trim it as needed, then turn the crank by hand two full turns to confirm the counterweights clear the tray, pickup brace and baffle.
5. Seal it. Clean, oil-free surfaces. Put a 5 mm × 20 mm bead of RTV on the front and rear cover gasket tabs that stick into the pan.
6. Align the rear. The back of the pan must sit flush with the back of the block, never sticking out past it, or the bellhousing will not seat. Snug all bolts by hand, snug the two lower bellhousing bolts, then torque from the center out.
7. Fill and check. With a new filter, expect about 6 quarts. Confirm the level on the dipstick and do not overfill.

6. FAQ

What is the difference between the 302-1 and 302-2 oil pan?

The 302-2 front section is 1.25" deep versus 2.42" on the 302-1, so it clears steering linkage that sits just behind the crossmember, like on the first-gen Camaro and Nova. Overall it is 5.46" deep versus 5.69". The trade-offs: its sump runs 9.84" forward from the rear instead of 7.65", and it is limited to a 3.62" stroke while the 302-1 clears 4.25".

Does the 302-1 fit a G-body?

No. For 1978–87 G-body cars, use the 302-2 or 302-3.

Can I use my truck pickup tube or windage tray?

Not the pickup: use the one supplied with the pan. For the windage tray, the 302-1 takes a GM full-length tray and the 302-2/302-3 take the F-body tray, trimmed for pickup clearance.

How much oil does an LS swap oil pan hold?

About 6.0 quarts total for the 302-1, 6.2 for the 302-2 and 6.1 for the 302-3, each with a stock-size filter.

Which LS swap oil pan is best for a stroker?

The 302-1 clears up to a 4.25" stroke and the 302-3 up to 4.00". The 302-2 stops at 3.62" and does not fit the LS7.